1. Field of the Invention
The invention concerns a thyristor column with disc thyristors which are stacked on top of each other and are mounted resiliently. Heat sinks serve simultaneously for the conduction of the electric current, and are interposed on each side of each disc thyristor.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Such thyristor columns are known, for instance, from the German Offenlegungsschrift No. 1,914,790. They find use where several disc thyristors are to be connected in series. The disc thyristors must then be protected against excessive currents by separate external circuit components. From the book "Siliziumstromrichter-Handbuch" (Silicon rectifier handbook) of BBC, Baden, Switzerland, page 83, for instance, it is known to use for this purpose an R-L-C circuit, in which a common blocking choke precedes all the series-connected disc thyristors and each thyristor of the thyristor column is shunted by an R-C member. The blocking choke, which is always common to several thyristors takes a large volume and has considerable weight, whereby the volume and the weight of the equipment, in which the thyristor column is to be installed, is greatly influenced. In this circuit arrangement, the resistors of the R-C members must, furthermore, be designed for relatively large power.
The object of this invention is to provide a thyristor column of the kind mentioned at the outset in such a manner that the external circuit can be provided at low cost, saves space and does not add appreciably more weight .